quite disturbing: suicide rates increase

The increase in suicides among black children was isolated to boys, among whom the rate grew from about 1.8 to about 3.5 for every million children.

For white boys, the suicide rate declined from about 2 to about 1.3 suicides per one million children over the 20 years.

“Many factors – including increased exposure to violence and traumatic stress; early onset of puberty; and lower likelihood to seek help for depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts – may be contributing to the disparity, but the specific impact of each of these factors is unclear,” Bridge said.

“Along the same lines, for many years black youth have used mental health services less than white children and youth,” said Stacey Freedenthal of the University of Denver, who was not part of the new study. “This could be a factor in suicide rates, but why now when the differences in service use have existed for so long?”

Not surprising.
Black children face many challenges that include poor nutrition, economic depression/poverty, and lack of access to mental health services and the taboo and stigma that comes with seeking help for trauma.